Folding display cabinet



Oct. 7, 1930. R BAERMAN FOLDING DISPLAY CABINET Filed Oct. 17, 1929 2 speaks-shut 1 amended R I R E) armmx Oct. 7, 1930. R. BAERMAN v FQLDING DISPLAY CABINET Filed Oct. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 klIlllllllllllllllllllil V II IL gwuwtto'a Ralph @uzrmam Patented Oct. 7, 1930 tALrH s m t, on iwsrrronn. mango QLDI venIsrnAY CABINET v m Applicatibn filed.tictobersl'i';

My invention relates to folding display. cabinets particularly, though not. exclusive- 1y, forthe display :of specimen flowers, etc,- inthe sale;of bulbs, roots and seeds, ;an bi 5 ject of the invention being to provide a cabvinet of simple,.durable and inexpensive construction and one WhlCh lS readily portable in form having minimum .over a'll dimensions, and which'is adapted readily to beexpanded for the'purpose of presenting an effective and relativelvextensive display.

. Another object of the invention resides in providing a. display cabinet havingtwo-fold. able sections adapted; to be extended to dis-- play'thecontents of the cabinet and'to be collapsed to encase the contentsand tofpermit of convenient handling in safety to both cab- ,inetand contents. 5 1; ,4

Another obiect of the. invention. resides in .20forming eachlofsaid sections with; an open front-and an open end and inhingedly connectingsaid sections together, whereby they may be relatively disnosed open end to open end in the extended arrangement ofthe cab- @inetand pen front to openfront in the'col- 1 lapsed arrangemcntthereof.

.A further object of the invention resides in providing the cabinet sections with racks, a raclrin one constituting .a continuation of a rack .inthe other; in the extended arrange- ;ment of the cabinet. Y l i A feature of the invention resides'in providinga hinged member adapted to form a closure :for the open ends of the cabinet sectionsin their folded relation. said member being adapted to be swung'ou't of its end closing positiont'o permit of the unfolding of the "cabinet sections. 1 An object of the invention resides in pro-- 40, viding saidsections with caster: wheels for supporting the cabinet, and in utilizing said closure member'for-bracing the cabinet when the sections thereof arein extended relation. 'Another object of the invention resides in providing hinged top. members for the cabinet sections,'adapted tobe swung back therefrom and, in such position, to be supported by said closure member. V 1 r With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear in the following deillustrating ,the parts in extended relation.

scription, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement ofparts and in the details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed.

.In the drawings: V it Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a; cabinet illustrating an embodiment of my invention and showing the parts in folded-relation. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the cabinet,

7 Fig.3: is a planview of thestructure shown inFig.1.-.. x

Fig. 4 is a plan view of thestructure shown in Fig. 2, the -coyergmembers being in closed... position.; 1

' Fig. 5 is an elevational sectional as on line 55 of Fig.3. i

In the sale of certain commodities, such as bulbs, roots, seeds and the like,considerable advantage is gained by displaying specimens of the flowers, spikes and such growths, as may be expected to mature therefrom.

Heretofore the displays of'such specimens have been almost entirely confined to the nursery and gardeningsites and toflo-wer 7 shows or exhibitions to which the large per- 1 centage ofpotential purcha'sers are not attracted. The problem of reaching such purchasers may be met bythe employment ofwhat may be termed a portable flower show view taken adapted to be transportedfrom house to house in the canvassing of individuals not likely otherwise to have guidance through the medium ofact'ual specimens in the selection of bulbs, seeds, etc. To provide for such individual shows or displays, it becomes highly desirable that an appropriate display cabinet be had for the purpose. The present invention provides a cabinet particularly adapted for such purpose. a The illustrated embodiment Tof my invention comprises a cabinet consisting .oftwo sections which Ihave indicatedin their entirety at A and B. -The sect'ionA consists of a rear or side wall 10 and an end wall 12 of a height substantially equalto the full height of the cabinet and of a front wall 13 of considerably less height connected to the end wall 12 andto afiller 14 disposed between the said frontwall 13 and the rear wall 10.

to the riser 17 and front wall 13 respectively.

, ignated at 21, to receive the vases 18, while;

-' right-position withi-nthe cabinet. means" of thisconstruction, asection is provided" Attached to the said wall structure are two shelves 15 and 16, both of which are secured at their ends to the end wall 12 and the filler 14. Shelf 15 is attached to rear wall 10 and shelf 16 to the front wall'13, while a riser 17 is disposed between the two shelves. These two shelves serve as racks for the reception of anumber of vases 18whichrest upon supports-19 and 20 disposed immediately beneath the said shelves 15 and. 16 and-secured- The shelves 15 and16areapertured, 'as'des' the supports 19 and 20 are recessed, as designated at 22, to receive the ends .ofsaid'vasesin a manner to support and hold the same in upwhich is open atthe topand open at thefront above the front wall 13 and also open at one end above the filler 14 andtheshelf struc-' ture-of said section.

Section B is constructed'similar to section A and comprisesa rear wall 110, an end wall 112 and-a front wall 113, together with shelves l'l'5 and 116', all connected together 'inidentically the same manner asthe come sponding parts of section A,-except that they -are arran'ged in inverse order to cause the sections to have a 'lef-t'h'and and rig-ht hand relation Withone another, as best-shown in at 121. and the supports 119 and 120 recessed The said section B; similarly'comprises-a" filler nember114,-a riser 117 and supports 119 and 120, all arranged in exactly the same manner as the corresponding parts in section 5 A- The shelves 115 are similarly apertured shown in Fig. 1. All of the parts of these sections lie flushat the open ends thereof, so that'said sections' fit snuglytogether when extended, making a continuous display cabinet open along'the front thereof. WVhen the two sections A and B aresw'ung about the I hinges 23 into their folded position, the front walls 13. and 113are brought face to face, which-has the effect of closing the fronts of the cabinet sections, as clearly shown in Figs. land 3. v This disposition of the two sections leaves the open ends of the" cabinet 'sections exposed as well as the tops thereof, For

closing the ends of the two cabinetsec'tions when in folded relation, a singIe closure 24 empl y d which i's' of equal to the 2. and 4, serves combined width of the collapsed sections and of a height equal to the total height of the cabinet. This closure is hinged through hinges 25 to the rear wall of one of the sections which, in the embodiment illustrated, is the wall 10 of section A. When the cabinet is collapsed, the closure 24 lies flush against the open ends of the two sections A and'B'and along the fillers 14 and 114 thereof, completely closing the ends of said sections.- When the said closure is swung out- 'Wardly',' as shown'in' Figs. 2-and 4, it is clear of thecabinet proper and permits of the unfolding of sections A and B and the bringing thereof into end to end relation, as shown in said Figs. 2 and 4. I

The sections A and Bare constructed with legs 26 and 126 to which caster wheels 26 and 126 are applied. The closure 24 is constructed with a leg 27 which, when the cabinet is in extendedpos'ition, as shown in Figs. I to brace the cabinet against tip-ping backward.

For closing the upper portion of the cabinet; two covers 28 and 128 are employed which are h'ingedly connected to the rear .walls 10 and110 of sections A and B through offset-hinges 29 and 1129. These covers may be swung shut to closelthe top of t-he'cabinet,

as shown in Figs. 1, 3' and 5, or they may be swung open into the position shown .in F ig;

2 to fully expose the' flowers or other specimen's d'isplayedwithin the cabinet; The offset hinges 29 and 129 cause the s'aid'covers to'lie flat upon the upper edges of the rear walls 10" and 110 and the end walls 12am 112 of the cabinet proper and a t the same time permit of the swinging of'the' said covers back, in a manner to permit'of the same resting upon the'uppe'r edge of the closure Said closure, inithis manner, serves to form 105 a stop or a support'forsupportingthe covers when in] fully open position. To support both'of these covers jointly, the closure 24 may be set at a slight angle, a's'shown in Fig.

4, or it may be formed with a stop, or: cleat (not shown) serving to' support'the cover 128'when's'aid closure is in fully extended position. I x I Dowel pins 112 (Fig. 2').projecting from "the'eXposed edge of end wall 112 of cabinet sec'tion"B cor'respondfiwith holes 12? in the exposed edge of end wall 12 of cabinet section A. .These dowel pinsfit into said openingswhen said sections are folded'together and thus freezthe hinges 23 fromracking strains, which. otherwise would be imposed upon them in thehandling "of the closed cabinet or in the. wheeling thereof along rough'and 'uneven'side walks and other supporting surfacesr Hooks12 fastened to the end wal1"12 andadap'tedjjto coact with eyes 112 fastened to the end Wall 112 serve to secure the cabinet, sections A and B in folded relation. A hookllO pivoted onbackwal] 110 of cabinet section B is adapted to em I gage a pin 24 projecting from the free edge of the closure 24 in the folded position of said closure (Fig. 1) and releasably hold the closure in such position.

In the use of the device, the various flow ers, spikes or other specimens to be displayed are inserted into the vases 18, which are preferably partially filled with 'water.

When the cabinet has been transported to I the" desired place and it is thewish of the attendantto display the flowers,;the hooks 12 are freed from the eyes 112 and the hook 110 from the pin 2 1 The closure 24 is then swung into the position shown in Fig. 4:, and the cabinet section B swung about the hinges 23 to bring the display racks15, 115 and 16, 116 into continuation ofone another. The

' covers 28 and 128 may then be opened and fully sheltered and protected and the cabinetmay be readily handled and transported in the desired manner.

My invention is highly meritorious in that an extremely simple and practical device is afforded for the display and handling'of articles or goods to be merchandised, and particularly for the display of specimen flowers and the like in promotion of the sale of seeds, bulbs, etc. The device isquickly and easily collapsed and extended, andwhen extended gives the observer a full and uninterrupted view of all of the contained articles in an attractive display of relatively large proportion. When collapsed the cabinet is brought into compact form of relatively small dimensions and the articles contained therein are entirely concealed. I Thus, the cabinet is readi- 1y handled and transported in safety thereto and to its contents, the attendant being able quickly to present the attractive display afforded by the structure. In the collapsed relation of the cabinet sections, the absence of any partition Walls between the specimens in the two cabinet sections provides for the full utilization of all of the available space by the stems, leaves and flowers in the display.

The cabinet may be constructed at a nominal cost from materials readilyavailable and may be constructed in a neat and attractive maning from the spirit of my invention.

IIA cabinet comprising two sections,each thereof being open atone side and at one end,

"said sections beinghinged attheir open ends oneto the other and adapted to befrelatively positioned in extended relation with their open ends together and in folded relation with their open sides together, eachsection having a rack therein, one rack constituting a continuation of the other rack in the extended relation of said sections. r

l "2. A cabinet comprising two sections, each thereofbeing open at one side "andat one end, said sections being hinged at their open ends one to the other and adapted to be relatively positionedin extended relation with their open ends together and'infolded relation with their open sides together, and a closure, common to thetwo open ends of said sections, adapted to close said ends in the folded relation of the sections. 3. A cabinet comprising two sections,

each

thereof being open atone side and atone end, said sections being hinged at their open 7 ends one to the other and adapted to be relatively positioned in extended relation with theinopen ends t'ogetherand in folded rela be swung out of closing position to avoid interferencewith the bringing of said sections into extended relation. l

"4:. A cabinetcomprising twosections, each thereof being openat one side and at one end,

said sections being hinged at their open ends one tothe other and adapted to be relatively positioned in extended relation with their open ends togetherand in folded relation with their opensides together, and aclosure, common to the two openends ofsaid sections, adapted to'close said ends in the folded relation of the sections, said closure being hinged to one of. the sections and adapted to be swungout of closing position toavoidinterference with the bringing of said sections into extended relation, the tops of said sections being hinged to the backs thereof and adapted to be swung back and supported by said closure.

5. A cabinet comprising two elongated sections, each thereof being open at one side and at one end, said sections being adapted tobe relatively positioned in extended relation with their openends together and in folded relation with their open sides together, each section having a plurality of racks extending lengthwise thereof, the racks of one section constituting continuations respectively of the racks of the other section in the extended relation of said sections.

6. A cabinet comprising two elongated sections, each thereof being open at one side and at one end, saidsections being adapted to be relatively positioned in extended relation iso With their open ends together and in folded relation With their openv sides together, each section having'a plurality of racks extending lengthwise thereof, the racks of one section constitutingcontinuations respectively fthe racks of the other section in the extended relation of said sections, and closure means removably applicable to the open ends of the sections in the folded'relation thereof.

7 A unitary cabinet comprising two elongated sections, each thereofbeing open at one h side and at one end, ,sa id sections being adapted to be relatively positioned in extended rela- 7 tion With their open ends together and in folded relation with their open sides together, I

and means movable into and out of operative 7 position for closing the open ends of said sections inthe folded relation thereof.

H 8. A'cabinet comprising tWo sections, each thereof being open at one o side and at one end, said sections being hinged at their open ends one to the other and adapted to be relatively positioned in extended relation with their open ends together and in folded relasaid sections in the folded relation thereof,

said device being hinged to one of the sections tion With their open sides together, anda device constituting aycoinbined closure and brace adapted toclose the two open endsof and adapted to be swung out of closing position, to-avoid interference with the bringing of said sections-into extended relation, into bracing position to steady the cabinet in its extended form. 1' J 9. A cabinet comprising two sections, each thereof being open at one side and at one end, said sections being 'adaptedto be relatively positioned in extended relation with their open ends together and in folded relation with their opens sides together, and means adapted to form a closure for said open ends in the'latter relation of said sections and also adapted to to form a brace for the cabinet/in its extended form.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig nature to this specification.

RALPH BAEBMAN; 

